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MMDA to suspend 'number coding' starting Tuesday

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 03/29/2010 11:53 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Metro Manila Development Authority on Monday said it will suspend the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVRP) or number coding scheme starting Tuesday in anticipation of the Holy Week exodus.

MMDA Chairman Oscar Inocentes said the early lifting of the number coding scheme is implemented to give way to the expected mass exodus of vehicles, both public utility and private, to the provinces as the country celebrates the Lenten season. The MMDA uses the number coding scheme to regulate private vehicles on certain days of the week, based on the last digit registered on their license plates.

“The suspension of the UVVRP is our way of ensuring the convenience of the public. This way, they can travel without any delay, and there will be enough public utility vehicles to ferry passengers all day long,” he said in a statement.

He said the agency will also take part in the yearly Lakbay Alalay under the Oplan Semana Santa spearheaded by the Department of Transportation and Communications.

The MMDA Traffic and Transport Management Office (TTMO) will deploy more than 1,000 traffic enforcers to man the major thoroughfares, particularly Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) and the other exit points of Metro Manila.

According to Inocentes, majority of the traffic personnel will be assigned to roads leading to provincial bus terminals and other vital installations to guarantee the safety of thousands of commuters and even pedestrians.

The operations of the TTMO, in close coordination with the local government units, will concentrate on crucial areas and traffic choke points such as Balintawak, McArthur Highway, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Sumulong Highway, Marcos Highway, Coastal Road, Roxas Boulevard, Alabang, Pasay, and Cubao.

The agency’s Roadside Emergency Group will also be on standby to provide roadside emergency service and assistance to the public.